Even Planets Blow Up
by MacGateFan
Summary: Our favorite team end up on a doomed planet with an injured Colonel on their hands.


Title: Even Planets Blow Up  
Rating: G  
Author: MacGateFan  
Disclaimers: Nope, not mine!

"'This planet is perfect for the Alpha Site. It's definitely worth checking out.'"

Rodney ran behind Sheppard, panting. "Okay, that's enough! There was nothing on the MALP to indicate this planet was going to blow up!"

"Except for maybe the earthquakes and the fact that the former occupants abandoned it!"

Teyla turned to face the men behind her. "We must hurry to the Stargate. We do not have time to argue!"

As she spoke, an earthquake rocked the planet. John pushed Rodney away from falling debris. He cried out as something struck the side of his head.

"Sheppard!" Ronon called.

"I'm fine," John replied, getting up. "Lets go!"

Teyla and Rodney reached the DHD first and just as Rodney was about to dial, the ground began to crumble beneath them. He and Teyla jumped back to avoid falling into the crevice that had just formed.

Rodney stared at the space they had just occupied. The DHD and MALP were gone, most likely destroyed in the fall. "Oh my God! We're going to die!"

"Rodney, calm down!" Teyla said. "The moment we are overdue, Dr. Weir will contact us and they will be able to send a Puddle Jumper to retrive us."

"Are you serious? This planet won't last five hours!"

Teyla sighed and turned to see where John and Ronon had gone off to. "Ronon, is he all right?" she asked.

Rodney calmed down a moment to see what was going on. Ronon was kneeling next to John, who was unconscious. "Mister-I-Love-To-Wave-Off-Any-Injury-No-Matter-How-Severe," he muttered.

"I could tell he was having trouble running and he fell over just as that last quake hit."

Teyla moved over to check John's injuries while Rodney began pacing back and forth. "We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" he repeated over and over again.

"McKay," Ronon said, standing. "If you don't shut up..."

"Ronon, leave him alone! At least the quakes have stopped for now," Teyla added, looking at Rodney.

Rodney nodded then walked over to sit by her. He glanced down at his friend. John had a bright purplish bruise along the right side of his face. Blood was coming from a small gash above his eye.

"That looks painful."

Teyla nodded in agreement as she finished cleaning the wound. She was about to try and rouse him when the ground started shaking again. Rodney and Teyla both covered John's body with their own as rocks started falling from the mountains again.

John began stirring 45 minutes later. His head was pounding unmercifully and he could feel the ground shaking, which wasn't helping matters. Blinking he saw his team rush to protect him from debris.

When the quake had stopped, John chuckled despite his injuries. "I know you guys love me, but really."

"Sheppard," Ronon said with a glare.

"How are you feeling?" Teyla asked as she checked his bandages.

John took a deep breath to control the nausea he felt. "I feel like Ronon's in my head with a sledge hammer. Why are we still here?"

"Oh, maybe it's because the DHD has fallen into a crevice," Rodney replied.

"Well that sucks!"

"Ya think?" John moved to sit up. "What are you doing?" Rodney asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Teyla caught him as he teetered to the side. "John, there is nothing we can do until Elizabeth calls to check on us."

"That's hours from now!" John exclaimed. He immediately regretted it and felt lunch rising from his stomach. He shoved Teyla out of the way as he retched. Oh yeah, he definitely had a concussion.

Rodney glanced at the rocky hill they were next to. It was probably best to leave John immobile, but given the choice of being completely flattened by falling rocks...

"Um, maybe we should move to a safer location," he suggested.

Ronon and Teyla nodded in agreement and helped John to stand. Now John has had his share of head injuries, but this seemed to be the worst one ever. He couldn't keep his eyes open because it felt as if the light pierced right through him.

"John?" Teyla said. "Concentrate. We're going to walk several feet to our right and you can rest again."

"K, Teyla," came his weakened response.

The moment John was sitting down, he felt nausea swell in the pit of stomach again. He took a few deep breaths to calm his insides. "I'm fine," he said, as they moved to help him.

Rodney stared at his friend in concern. John's skin was a grey-ish color and he seemed so disoriented and confused.

"Hey, there are two of you!" John said, pointing at Rodney. "Is that Rod? Did he come back for a visit?"

Teyla glanced up at the others worriedly. "John?"

"Hi Teylas."

She realized that he was seeing two of her as well. "John, how badly does your head hurt?" she asked him.

John looked as though he were concentrating, but didn't reply. He wasn't sure what Teyla had just asked. All he knew was that his head felt ready to explode and all he wanted to do was sleep.

Sleep. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.

"Night," he whispered.

Before any of them could say a word, John had lost consciousness. "Not good!" Rodney exclaimed. "Okay, there has got to be a way to get through to Atlantis!"

"How McKay?"

Rodney began looking through his pack. "Well you, Conan, can manually dial the 'Gate. The only thing we'll need is an energy source."

"Where can we find an energy source?" Teyla asked. "The MALP has fallen into that crevice."

Yet another quake shook the ground. Rodney didn't know how much more his heart could take! He knew he wouldn't be able to find an energy source before the planet inevitably exploded.

"The 'Gate!" Ronon exclaimed.

Rodney looked up expecting to see that the 'Gate had disappeared into that crevice. Instead, it was springing to life. _"Colonel Sheppard, this is Atlantis, please respond."_

"Elizabeth!" he gasped. "Thank God! We need a Jumper and a med team ASAP! This planet is about to explode and Sheppard is unconscious from a major blow to the head!"

_"Calm down, Rodney, Carson and his team are getting ready as we speak. He wants to know how bad John's head injury is."_

Rodney took a deep breath. "Well, he was hit on the right side. There's a nasty bruise and a gash that was bleeding, but Teyla was able to stop that. He's been sick and very confused. He had double vision before he passed out. Thought there were two of me again."

_"God help us all,"_ Carson mumbled.

"Hey, that's not nice!" Rodney replied. He didn't even think that Carson would be listening, but of course he wouild be. "Anyway, just hurry up, Carson!"

_"The Jumper is leaving the bay, Rodney. They'll be there shortly."_

Rodney took a deep breath and sat down next to John's bed. He was exhausted physically and emotionally. Carson had just finished telling them that John slipped into a coma.

That culminated from something called a Basilar skull fracture. That's where the base of the skull connects with the sinus cavities. And that's where Rodney's knowledge ends because the rest of what Carson said was lost in translation.

Until the words "may cause infection" were said. Apparently there's an opening where fluid and air can get into the brain. Rodney shook his head and looked at his friend.

"You never do anything half way, do you?"

A week later, Rodney was heading to the infirmary to sit with John. Elizabeth and his team had been taking turns visiting, trying different approaches to get John to wake up.

"Rodney."

His heart leapt into his throat. "Yeah, Carson?"

"Colonel Sheppard's awake, son.

"Oh thank God! I'll be right there!"

He all but ran the last ten feet to the infirmary.

John still looked tired, but he was chatting happily with Teyla, Ronon, and Elizabeth. Carson came up to him. "Not too long, Rodney, he needs to rest."

"But, Carson..."

"I know that it seems like he was resting, but a coma is very different from REM sleep. I won't even bother explaining it to you because you won't listen anyway."

Rodney nodded. "True. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Hey, Rodney."

"Hey. Took you long enough to wake up from the coma."

"Yeah, well according to Carson my brain needed to heal itself." John shrugged. "I don't know what else he said cause I wasn't really paying attention."

Rodney pretended to look shocked. "That is horribly rude! Is that what you do when I'm explaining something?"

"Maybe..."

Teyla smiled at their banter, but could tell John's energy was waning fast. "I think it's time we let you get some rest, Colonel. We'll come by tomorrow."

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate you staying with me all week. You probably couldn't tell, but I hear everything that was being said."

"Anytime, Sheppard," Ronon replied as the others nodded in agreement.

Elizabeth squeezed his hand. "Sleep well, John."

And that's what he did.


End file.
